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Music fraternity for women holds musical instrument drive for schools

MOSCOW, ID - While the education funding debate continues in Boise, many Idaho schools are suffering, especially when it comes to programs like music.

"This is looking quite nice," said a woman. "So we've got a guitar, someone even donated a guitar."

Del Hungerford is a member of the Moscow-Pullman Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity for women.

"We're always looking for ways to promote music, and this idea came to my head, and wah-la," said Hungerford.

The idea was to hold an instrument drive for Idaho District Two schools in need.

"Education departments, whether it's within the school itself, or within the state, they're cutting down funding, and so directors don't' have enough money to purchase new instruments or get the instruments they have fixed," said Hungerford.

Hungerford said that schools in Kamiah, Kooskia, Nez Perce and Craigmont have the most dire need for instruments. The drive started on January seventh, and since then, Sigma Alpha Iota has collected about 30 instruments between their drop-off sites at Washington State University, the University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College, and Keeney Brothers locations in Moscow and Clarkston.

"Much better than I thought it would be," said Keeney Brothers Owner Dale Kenney. "There's been a lot of instruments come in for these kids."

Keeney said that he was skeptical of the idea at first, but he's happy to help more students have access to music, something that changed his life forever.

"There are other things that school can do for you, but music you can do all your life, and you can improve all your life," said Keeney.

Most of the donations are older instruments that haven't been played in years.

"A lot of people, once they finish band, they'll put their instrument in the closet, or their child is finished and they don't want to play anymore, and the instrument just sits and sits and sits," said Hungerford.

Hungerford said that by donating an old instrument, you'll be putting one in the hands of a child who otherwise wouldn't have access to one.